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Hendersonville woman killed in crash on Fla. beach

Family walking on beach when out-of-control car strikes

Some witnesses of the accident give their statements to police after Elizabeth Braly of Hendersonville was struck and killed by a vehicle on the beach at Port Orange, Fla.

LOLA GOMEZ/DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL

By Lyda Longa & Patricio G. BalonaHALIFAX MEDIA COMPANY

Published: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 8:59 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at 8:59 a.m.

DAYTONA BEACH SHORES — Elizabeth Braly wanted to enjoy one more day of vacation on the beach before heading home to Hendersonville, where her four youngest children and two grandchildren were waiting.

So when Braly's husband loaded the youngsters into a car and drove back to Hendersonville at 2 a.m., Braly, 45, stayed behind with her 20-year-old son, his wife and two of their friends, relatives said.

At about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Braly, her son Jonathan, her daughter-in-law and another young couple had just arrived at the Dunlawton Avenue beach approach. Moments later, 35-year-old Shawn Patrick Doolan was heading east over the Dunlawton bridge in a 2002 Nissan.

Some witnesses said Doolan was speeding, possibly at 60 mph, according to officials. Once Doolan raced over the bridge and through the State Road A1A intersection, he rolled onto the beach approach, crashing through a gate and a toll booth, beach officials said.

Braly, walking a few feet behind her son, daughter-in-law and their friends and with two cameras in tow, was struck by the front end of Doolan's car and run over, the FHP said.

Braly, 45, was killed instantly.

“There was no blood on the sand at all,” said Robin Braly, a sister-in-law of Braly's husband, Mark Braly. “I don't think she ever knew what hit her.”

Doolan was arrested after FHP troopers spoke with him and his blood was drawn, said Sgt. Kim Montes, an FHP spokeswoman. He is charged with DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI with property damage. It was not clear whether Doolan had agreed to a breath test, Montes said.

“They (the troopers) probably had some type of probable cause to charge him (with DUI manslaughter and DUI property damage),” Montes said. “They evaluate the person for any signs of impairment.”

Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officials said Tuesday night that the others were able to jump out of Doolan's path, but they could not save Braly.

“Jonathan feels very guilty,” said Braly's sisterin- law, Debra Braly. “He feels that he should have saved his mother. He said he should have been hit instead and he would have survived because he's younger.”

A person who witnessed the accident and called 911 said the motorist was traveling almost 60 mph when he hit Braly, sheriff's dispatchers said. Another witness reported the Nissan was speeding east over the Dunlawton bridge shortly before the accident.

The investigation into the crash continues, FHP's Montes said. Doolan posted $12,000 bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail and was released Wednesday.

Doolan, a truck driver from New Smyrna Beach, has no local criminal record and a clean driving history.

Debra Braly, a retired school principal who moved to Port Orange a year ago from Broward County, said the Braly family was staying with her during their Florida visit. She went to the crash scene minutes after it occurred and described it as “horrific.”

“They were all having such a great time here,” Debra Braly said of her sister- in-law and Mark Braly, and their family. “Mark went on ahead on Tuesday and today (Wednesday) we were all supposed to go to St. Augustine so that Liz could take some more pictures. Elizabeth Braly had just started a photography business back home and was shooting as many photographs as she could in the area. They (Braly, Jonathan Braly and Ashley Braly and the young couple's friends) were planning to leave later in the day.”

Instead, Mark Braly — who celebrated his 24th wedding anniversary with Elizabeth last week — returned to Port Orange early Wednesday to claim his wife's body, relatives said.

Mark Braly is a line maintenance crew leader with the city of Hendersonville's Water and Sewer Department. He was at home in Hendersonville when he heard the news Tuesday night. His friends and co-workers arranged transportation to get him to Daytona.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Braly family. Liz's tragic death has shaken Mark's coworkers, but the city family will rally to support Mark and the Braly family,” said City Manager John Connet.

Hendersonville city staff started collecting money Wednesday to help the Braly family with funeral expenses.

Anyone who would like to help the Braly family with expenses can drop off donations at North Henderson High School.

“It's just tragic,” said David MacEachern, pastor of Bat Cave Baptist Church, which the Bralys attend. “They're just good people, hardworking people.”

Elizabeth Braly was planning to join church members on a mission trip to Freeport, Pa., on July 11. Elizabeth and Mark Braly have been on several mission trips with the church, the pastor said.

“My wife would say to me often, 'Mark Braly is the sweetest man I think I've ever met,' ” he said. “He was always willing to help others.”

His wife was the same way, MacEachern said. The tragic, sudden loss of “a good Christian woman” has inspired prayers since the accident.

MacEachern, quoting the Bible's Proverbs 27:1, reminded others to make the present count, “for you do not know what a day may bring.”

___

Longa and Balona are staff writers for the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

<p>DAYTONA BEACH SHORES — Elizabeth Braly wanted to enjoy one more day of vacation on the beach before heading home to Hendersonville, where her four youngest children and two grandchildren were waiting.</p><p>So when Braly's husband loaded the youngsters into a car and drove back to Hendersonville at 2 a.m., Braly, 45, stayed behind with her 20-year-old son, his wife and two of their friends, relatives said.</p><p>At about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Braly, her son Jonathan, her daughter-in-law and another young couple had just arrived at the Dunlawton Avenue beach approach. Moments later, 35-year-old Shawn Patrick Doolan was heading east over the Dunlawton bridge in a 2002 Nissan.</p><p>Some witnesses said Doolan was speeding, possibly at 60 mph, according to officials. Once Doolan raced over the bridge and through the State Road A1A intersection, he rolled onto the beach approach, crashing through a gate and a toll booth, beach officials said.</p><p>Braly, walking a few feet behind her son, daughter-in-law and their friends and with two cameras in tow, was struck by the front end of Doolan's car and run over, the FHP said.</p><p>Braly, 45, was killed instantly.</p><p>“There was no blood on the sand at all,” said Robin Braly, a sister-in-law of Braly's husband, Mark Braly. “I don't think she ever knew what hit her.”</p><p>Doolan was arrested after FHP troopers spoke with him and his blood was drawn, said Sgt. Kim Montes, an FHP spokeswoman. He is charged with DUI manslaughter and two counts of DUI with property damage. It was not clear whether Doolan had agreed to a breath test, Montes said.</p><p>“They (the troopers) probably had some type of probable cause to charge him (with DUI manslaughter and DUI property damage),” Montes said. “They evaluate the person for any signs of impairment.”</p><p>Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officials said Tuesday night that the others were able to jump out of Doolan's path, but they could not save Braly.</p><p>“Jonathan feels very guilty,” said Braly's sisterin- law, Debra Braly. “He feels that he should have saved his mother. He said he should have been hit instead and he would have survived because he's younger.”</p><p>A person who witnessed the accident and called 911 said the motorist was traveling almost 60 mph when he hit Braly, sheriff's dispatchers said. Another witness reported the Nissan was speeding east over the Dunlawton bridge shortly before the accident.</p><p>The investigation into the crash continues, FHP's Montes said. Doolan posted $12,000 bail at the Volusia County Branch Jail and was released Wednesday.</p><p>Doolan, a truck driver from New Smyrna Beach, has no local criminal record and a clean driving history.</p><p>Debra Braly, a retired school principal who moved to Port Orange a year ago from Broward County, said the Braly family was staying with her during their Florida visit. She went to the crash scene minutes after it occurred and described it as “horrific.”</p><p>“They were all having such a great time here,” Debra Braly said of her sister- in-law and Mark Braly, and their family. “Mark went on ahead on Tuesday and today (Wednesday) we were all supposed to go to St. Augustine so that Liz could take some more pictures. Elizabeth Braly had just started a photography business back home and was shooting as many photographs as she could in the area. They (Braly, Jonathan Braly and Ashley Braly and the young couple's friends) were planning to leave later in the day.”</p><p>Instead, Mark Braly — who celebrated his 24th wedding anniversary with Elizabeth last week — returned to Port Orange early Wednesday to claim his wife's body, relatives said.</p><p>Mark Braly is a line maintenance crew leader with the city of Hendersonville's Water and Sewer Department. He was at home in Hendersonville when he heard the news Tuesday night. His friends and co-workers arranged transportation to get him to Daytona.</p><p>“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Braly family. Liz's tragic death has shaken Mark's coworkers, but the city family will rally to support Mark and the Braly family,” said City Manager John Connet.</p><p>Hendersonville city staff started collecting money Wednesday to help the Braly family with funeral expenses.</p><p>Anyone who would like to help the Braly family with expenses can drop off donations at North Henderson High School.</p><p>“It's just tragic,” said David MacEachern, pastor of Bat Cave Baptist Church, which the Bralys attend. “They're just good people, hardworking people.”</p><p>Elizabeth Braly was planning to join church members on a mission trip to Freeport, Pa., on July 11. Elizabeth and Mark Braly have been on several mission trips with the church, the pastor said.</p><p>“My wife would say to me often, 'Mark Braly is the sweetest man I think I've ever met,' ” he said. “He was always willing to help others.”</p><p>His wife was the same way, MacEachern said. The tragic, sudden loss of “a good Christian woman” has inspired prayers since the accident.</p><p>MacEachern, quoting the Bible's Proverbs 27:1, reminded others to make the present count, “for you do not know what a day may bring.” </p><p>___</p><p>Longa and Balona are staff writers for the Daytona Beach News-Journal.</p><p>___</p><p>Times-News reporter Emily Weaver contributed to this report.</p>